The Washington critic., 1887-01-18
GAsLIGHr IN GEoRGETOWN.
President Leetch's Rcps to the state
ments of tho citizens Committee.
r1CE GEoRGETowN GAsrIGHr Co

the Citizens Committee, submitted 10 the
subcommittee of the Senate District Com
mittee, on the subject OF gas in West Wash
ing,on, the object Of which was to influence
legislation detrimental to the Interests of
the stockholders of the Georgetown Gas
light company. The entire statement Is so
Incorrect and untrue that IL is u matter OF
astOnishmcnt that some at least OF the gen
tlcmen whose names are signed thereto
could iLdOrse such statements without iu-
vcsiigation us to their truth or falsity.
do not expect by this letter to convince
that class of our citizens who either forget
or entirely ignore the fact that those of our
good citizens VINO have Invested their means
In the stocks Of this company have rights
worthy Of respect. Hence this answer to the
etIictures OF the Citizens Committee, some
OF whom, however, have Informed me that
they never signed the said statement, and
were first apprised OF 1t by It's appearing In
the Stdr. ] shall notice said statements US
they appear In their order:
Firsj-The rate charged for gas In George
town has never been excessive or unjust
| Neither has the citizen OF Georgetown ever
been compelled to pay twice as much for 4
necessary article, gas, as his fellow citizen
| in Washington. We make a piHc cotl pts,
| second to that of no other company In this
| country, and at price as low as any other
| See record Of the company aud prices as
| furnished to the llouio Committee on Dis
| tlict Appropriations. The price charged In
| Washington Till recently was one dollar
and fifty cents net lu Georgetown, two
| dollars net. The price now charged in the
| former Is Sl,25, aud In Georgetown, II IL
| net, or only llity cents difference. Again,
| the dividends declared by this company have
| alwNys indicated the honest net earnings
| for the six months preceding the payment
| thereof. This company never had, and hiss
| not now, any surplus earnings for distri-
| button among It's Stockholders. See state
meut furnished Senate Committee.
Second-lt is untrue that the Georgetown
| Gnslight Company ever had, or ever used,
| any Kind or character OF pump, or any other
| coutfvancc for the purpose charged by the
said Citizens Committee, viz, 10 create an
excessive pressure SO as to give higher
| meter registration, and for the purpose of
defraudiDg consumers OF gas. We do use
an eNhauster, the same us is used hy every
| well-regulated company in this country,
the object Of which is to relieve the retorts
and hydraulic mains Of undue pressure, but
| has no effect upon the pressure ns affecting
either the street lamps or private consum-
ers. This exhauster has been In these
| works since 1863, about eighteen years.
| Our contract with the District Government
| prescribes under what pressure the street
lamps shall burn, viz, one aud onetonth
inch, and is subjected to rigid test pro-
| yided by law. See Inspectors daily test
and testimony before the Senate Committee
| Third-This company does not now, and
never has objected TO any test by cOmpe-
| tent Inspector to determine the quality and
standard OF gas made by this company.
The more severe the test, the brighter will
be the vlndicaton OF the company.
| FOurth-lt is untrue, as stated by the
| arrangement existed between the Officers of
this company and the Government Inspector
OF Gas and Meters, whereby the determina-
tion of the candle power OF said gas was
made at given time In the forenoon, Ia
stead of the evening, as required by law.
The corrupt iDsinuatiou implied in this
statement does grievous Injustice to the
Inspector. No such precoucerted arrange
| meLt as this, and for any corrupt purpose,
ever existed between the Government In
speCtor and any officer OF this company.
The change was made for reasons salts.
factory to the Government Inspector. This
company had no option but to comply.
Does 1t not occur to the minds of at least
some of the gentlemen committee that IL 1t
were possible for any officer Of this con-
pany to stoop to an arrangement so base
that 1t would be as easy TO make II effective
at any hour OF the day or night as 1t Is at
the hour the test ia now madeY See tes,i-
mony before the Senate Committee.
| Illth-lt Is not true that Mr.. q. H. Bar
tol. cX.trossuIer Of the Washington G IS
light Company, has now, or ever had, or
ever attempted TO control majority OF the
stock Of this company. See roll OF stock
holders furnished Senate Committee and
stock books at this office.
few words with reference TO candle
power and burners on street lamps. The
law requires the candle power 10 be equal
TO sixteen. During the year lSSj, the gas
furnished by this company averaged 1880
For the year 1856 we hope IL Will he still
better. See Inspectors daily tests and re-
ports.
The law governing and controlling the
lighting Of street lamps requires that each
LAMP shall be supplied with sX-foOt burner,
and shall burn six feet per hour for 2,GOJ
hours per aunum. The Kind of burners
placed upon street lamps is ordered by the
Government Inspector, and subjected to q
most rigid test. Within few months the
District Government appointed a commits
sion for the purpose OF determinius the
question, whether the burners were in &C
cordanCe with our contract and as the law
requires. After thorough test OF the
burners used, have been informed that al
Of our lamps 10 Georgetown average $50 feet
Of gas per hour, instead of feet, as re
quired by law. See report Of Professor DC
| EcDmlut anu D. Z. L Cru.
No officer of this company, al any time
or under any circumstances, has ever in
structed, or suggested, to any OF its en-
ployes TO alter, change or turn down all oil
any of the burners used upon the street lamp:
Of Georgetown for the purpose of detraudinp
the Government, or to bring them below the
standard required by law. See testimony OF
Daniel Mclaughlin before the Senate Com
mittee.
The whole question bearing upon th e
price Of gas is now with Congress. As re-
CARDS this company, | have eudeavored Ia
| present for the consideration of tue Ser ate
District Committee full, honest 81. te
ment Of all matters bearing upon the p st
or present of the Georgetown Gislight
Company, since its Incorporation by act OF
| Congress In 1854, including It's capital
stock, net earnings, dividends paid, whether
in stock or money, and It's limitations aud
restrictions by act OF Congress, with the
costliuess Of maintaining its service, It's
| operations being restricted by act Of Con
| gress TO the west of Rock Creek and to an
almost fixed population, Every book aud
record of the company has been and Is now
open for Inspection and at the service ol
the Senate or House committees. Nothing
has been concealed from the closest inspec
tion.
We have now placed the price for pure
| coal gas as low as n Is possible for thi.
company to furnish II aud at price, witt
the most careful management, that viii
only pay its stockholders from tO pei
cent, PEI aunutn,
Recognizing the right Of Congress to leg
islate upon aud limit tLe price to bl
charged FOR gaslight In the District OF Co
lumGia, still we may be permitted to dOub
the power OF Congress to force this com
pany to comply Herewith, and to furuisl
gaslight at the price to be named by Con
grcss, when to do so would he to enjange
the fights aud waste the Investments mad,
by the citizens, stockholders, as secured t,
them by special act Of Congress. Hence
the alternative forced upon Congress ciJhe
to condemn The property, pay It's st0ckhold
ets what It is worth, and the GOyernmen